My husband wanted to know who was this man whose photo I had so boldly taken. The only boldness was in enlarging him to be the central focus of the frame, which I did when I noticed his soccer-star good looks and peak physical fitness, juxtaposed with the two older gentlemen on the street outside the restaurant. One day, if he is lucky, this Adonis will be like them. The present is prologue.
I went out to brunch with two women friends on Sunday, to a place I'd never tried before. It was called Elizabeth's, which made me think fondly of you know who, and it had a sidewalk section that was designed to look like the porch of a genteel Southern farmhouse. The day was cool and breezy and my friends and I talked about our lives and did friend therapy with one another and it was lovely.
Here is the more pulled-back version of the photograph up top. I can't decide whether I like it better in black and white or color. Maybe I'll come back later and remove one of them. An informal survey: Which one do you prefer?
I've been dining out a lot lately. It is practically the main pastime in New York City, and I have to admit I enjoy sitting in sidewalk cafes in the good weather and people watching with my friends. I think the yolk of that egg looks like a perfect yellow sun.
And now, I shall get back to work ghostwriting a book proposal that is encouraging me to play with the notion of manifesting our reality through our thoughts. It takes a lot of thought energy to do such a thing, especially when we have spent decades unconsciously thinking thoughts that—the wisdom goes—got us to where we are now. I am recognizing a fundamental paradox, a misunderstanding many of us have with ourselves, that we are somehow doing life wrong or not quite adequately, that we need to be other than we are, and seek experiences other than we are having. It's all fascinating to contemplate, and I feel a kind of peace in this moment, surrendering to it and not wishing it to be any different. Tomorrow, I may lose this consciousness entirely. But for now, this is what is.
1. For some reason, I like the color shot better. The colors are too gorgeous to ignore.
ReplyDelete2. I guess the Mercury Retrograde thing hasn't affected you and boy, am I glad!
3. I think wrong, obviously.
Mary, the paradox I am trying to resolve is that "wrong" thinking supposedly got us the circumstances we currently have that we don't want, but it is also "wrong" to think we are anything other than perfect as we are, wrong thoughts and all. See the conundrum? And Mercury retrograde effects can come out of nowhere at any moment, mostly making us mishear what people say and take it the wrong way. I'm cocooned in my house today, so maybe I will be immune, at least for today. Hugs.
DeleteThe black and white one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, A. I can see its appeal for sure.
DeleteOn United States of Tara the teenage daughter said, "It's just what life is right now. It's nothing to be happy or sad about." I loved that, and what you have said here, but I can't internalize it right now and maybe ever.
ReplyDeleteI was struck with your caption to the Adonis on instagram but I didn't even notice the old men until now. Perfection! Absolute perfection. That photograph is art, the real deal. I adore it.
I think I like the black and white better.
So glad you are feeling good (cue Nina Simone).
Vesuvius, I, too, can only access that idea in cupfuls. Sometimes I lose it entirely, the sense that whatever is happening is as it should be, and our response to it and our thoughts about it create the next moment and the next, so if we can be positive somehow about what is happening, whatever it is, we create a better next moment, and next. Sounds all very good in theory, but we writing souls, i think we can't help catastrophizing. It's fairly useful for writing, so there's that. xo
Delete...manifesting our reality through our thoughts....
ReplyDeletei think you're right about that
the color one :)
xo
michelle, you master manifester, you! xo
DeleteI love how you're tying together your random thoughts and aspirations with these very cool photos. I like the pulled in photo in black and white the best. And I love the egg. And I love the idea of "friend therapy."
ReplyDeleteELizabeth, friend therapy is what keeps me sane. That is no exaggeration. xo
DeleteNow I know why you mentioned "conjuring our own realities" on my post the other day -- sounds like this is on your mind lately! Looking at that restaurant, one would certainly never guess that it's in New York City. As for the photos, I like the black and white, though I think your cropped one at the top is the best of the three.
ReplyDeleteSteve, I imagine you've thought about all this conjuring stuff a lot through you zen practice. Do you still practice?
DeleteI thought the color photo was juicy and alive. I loved that one. But the black and white one makes the Adonis seem more anonymous. Just my dos pesos.
ReplyDeletegrady doctor, i think i'm leaning to the color one myself, although on instagram, where the size is smaller, i liked the black and white one better. both have their virtues, I suppose. Like choices in life. You choose one path you learn one set of lessons; you choose the other you learn a different set of lessons. Either way, we learn. Thanks for weighing in!
DeleteI like the b/w for the mood and contrasts of light and dark. When I see the color version, all the details pop, which is appealing, too, but I guess "moody" is my mood right now!
ReplyDeleteAnd that restaurant looks delightful. I'll have to try it out.
Sylvia, that restaurant was rather charming. It's at 93rd and Columbus. Maybe I'll see you there!
DeleteHe is an Adonis, isn't he? I like the black and white version the best, I think the older gentlemen stand out more than in the color version.
ReplyDeleteellen, well, SOMETHING drew my eye over there, lol. I loved it when I noticed the older gentlemen in the photo, but it was pure happenstance.
DeleteI knew a guy in college who looked like that, in a way. He was nutty as a fruit cake. I like the black and white one. I will have to now go back up and read that last paragraph again.
ReplyDeleteKristin, so often equate good looks with charmed lives, and that is not always the case! don't worry about the last paragraph. it's a paradox, unsolvable, but perhaps not unlivable.
DeleteI love the first (close up and bold) shot best. Absolutely brilliant!
ReplyDeleteSurrender. My word for the day.
Thanks for the reminder.
xxoo
yolie, surrender is a very good word, especially when paired with joy. i wish you that pairing today. love.
Deletei always love your pics! and i generally prefer the black and white photos. I wish I could eat out more because your photos always make me hungry LOL. Glad you're out and about!
ReplyDeleteThanks, C!
DeleteI like the black and white photo...I've had a long day, so making it an early night...Friend therapy can be a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeletee, i agree with you about friend therapy. i hope you have a restful night.
Delete